I'm on this new writing jag, where I take a picture and use it for the basis of writing. This morning I was going through my pictures of the East Atlanta Beltline Parade and I came across this building shot. I had pulled over to turn on my GPS and I decided to take a quick picture. After taking in the legible text of "The Shining" and "Provoking" I'm not sure what it is saying or trying to convey. Me and my mad skillz on bubble words are a little lacking.

The shot is a bit of a "I was here" b-roll for being at the East Atlanta Beltline parade. Later I was going through some work and started adjusting the color on the shot. This isn't my typical style of graffiti, there are some interesting things here though. Using the arch for "The Shining" is pretty cool. Presenting red as the canvas and the grey color of the building exterior like a matte, also very conscientious. Really the presentation is far more interesting then the actual central point of the piece; It feels labored, one artist talking to his community, not so much to us.

I thought to delete the shot, the two hooks are great but they draw my eyes to nothing. I don't want to impugn the artistic integrity of the guy who did the work. I should say also concede that I didn't frame this piece for narrative. I didn't wind back, or position my camera from the street, so there was a little more room for it to express itself, the work didn't say "Remember me, Paul."

Today though I kept staring, and I finally started to see the building; now there is something interesting. Buildings as residential, I always mention that it goes back to the movie Running Scared with Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines. I saw the oddly paired duo do their buddy cop film when I was a kid. Before then I used to always draw buildings where me and my stuff lived. I'm not sure, why it wasn't a house. As a kid we lived in apartment buildings, not houses. But still, I knew what a house looked like, I just didn't imagine living in one. When I walked around my neighborhood though, always right on the edge of houses and apartments there would be an old building or two and they were quite interesting. Running Scared cinched the deal, big garage door, motorcycle in the living room, I was already sold, but now I saw someone doing my idea, wow. Most folks have no interest living in a building, some folks want to do "loft living" and I get that segment, it's not what I'm saying. I want an airstream trailer parked in the middle of a building that doesn't have a roof, might be missing a wall.

Let's talk about the current housing market. I can buy a second house tomorrow. Yep. If I want another mortgage and some major financial overlap taking on a new residential project the world is my oyster. If I want to buy a lot and just build from scratch, the bank wants me to front 40 percent of my total budget; they want major skin in the game. If I want a building, if it's commercial I'm sure it's the same circumstances. If it is mixed used, I have a chance. But the market is indifferent to the success I've had with my last two project houses. No to the multiple house deal though; I can survive it, but do I want to?

I really want a building. I really want a commercial kitchen. I really don't like to talk about my dreams or desires, but I'm trying to change my ways. In the end though I have to flow with what nature brings me. I'm willing and excited to work on any of those projects, I just have no interest in finding a house that doesn't require work and tear away. It's gotta look like the building above, or the before on my current house. The worse the better, the chance to partner with a team of people and collaborate, it's amazing. The whole ability to take a ruin and make something of it, but then enhance it and bring it to some realization that no one else considered…it is the act of wrestling success from great failure, when no one thought it possible, when few would even support you.